Never once
by thepragmatist
Summary: Never once. Never once did he come see her in her cold dark room. Never once. Until it was too late. YohAnna


**yiLee:** i was feeling depressed. my life is about to get ruined. a divorce can do that to a daughter. i don't want to get into harvard or MIT or phillips anymore. i just want my family back together. before it's too late. well not that this applies to any of you. so just enjoy this fic.

**disclaimer**: i don't own shaman king

-

He left.

He came back.

And he left once more.

Everyday it was like this.

Never once did he bother to check up on her.

Never once did he bother to peer into her dark room.

Never once. Never once.

-

Yoh kicked off his shoes as he entered the onsen. He was met by a weak and tired looking Anna at the doorway. She tried her best to maintain her scowl. It was obvious to Yoh that she had just woken up.

"Kino-sensei called."

Yoh finally paid attention to his trainer. "Why?"

"She wants to visit."

"Oh. When?" their conversation consisted with curt short replies and questions.

"Tomorrow. I expect this place spotless."

Yoh sighed. "Yes Anna."

Anna nodded and ascended the stairs once more.

Yoh shook his head. _She honestly was unbearable_

He looked at the clock and went into the kitchen. It was time to make dinner for the queen.

As he cooked he dreamt of sleeping. He dreamt of the cemetery were he could relax and listen to his music all day. He dreamt of a life where he didn't have to train and could laze about. He dreamt of a life without Anna.

Setting down several cooked dishes, Yoh called for Anna.

He didn't receive an answer so he called again.

But once again there was no answer.

Curious, Yoh leapt up the stairs and toward Anna's room.

He creaked open the door. "Anna?"

The room was veiled in darkness and he couldn't see anything.

"Anna?" He repeated.

He finally heard a shift and a weary voice. "Yeah Yoh?"

"Uh…Dinner's ready…"

Anna nodded. "I'm tired. I'll eat later."

Yoh nodded obediently but inside was sneering. _Tired? From what?_

Sitting down at his table he stirred his cup of tea. His appetite was lost for some reason. He felt a sudden burst of mixed feeling. Who was Anna to him? Did he hate her? No. Yoh couldn't hate anyone. Did he love her? No way. He was only 14. besides she was much too violent. Did he think of her as a friend? Well…friend's a little strong term. Ren, Manta, Horo. They were his friends. So who was Anna to him?

A sister. Yoh decided. A sibling. Someone you have to tolerate but care about. He wasn't attracted. Nope not at all.

Now about Tamao…She was sweet and always liked to shower him with affection and smiles. Too bad she had to go back to Izumo. But she was coming back once Kino came to visit. She told him when she left. She always told him everything. She didn't hide anything from him. Unlike the Ice Queen.

Yoh cleared off the table and prepared to give the house a thorough cleaning, lest his face the Ice Queen's wrath.

After several hours of deep cleaning, Yoh collapsed exhausted on his bed, dreaming of oranges.

-

The next day when Kino showed up, Yoh and Anna were already up. Both looking sleepy and tired. Anna more than Yoh cause he was used to getting up and training. Kino and Anna went immediately to her room, saying that Anna needed to complete a new move and would be in deep meditation for the rest of the day.

That left Tamao and Yoh.

Yoh smiled sheepishly at Tamao and she blushed profusely before smiling widely.

Yoh invited her into the family room where they spent the rest of the day chatting.

"So uh…how are you?"

"Fine." Tamao answered blushing.

Yoh smiled. Tamao never was good at hiding her emotions. Anna was. So whenever she let one out by accident, it made him realize she was human and caused him to appreciate it more. How come he appreciated Anna's tiny lapses in apathy, while he took Tamao's openness for granted?

He shook the silly thought away. He only appreciated because it wasn't common. Tamao was smiling at him. That's also why he only appreciated Anna's smile more than Tamao because it was rare. Not because it was beautiful. Not because it made her look pure. Not because when she smiled, he suddenly felt different. Like this hidden feeling in him became strong. Not because of this. Just because it was rare.

"I b-brought some p-pictures." Tamao said, pulling out an album. "t-they were taken at Patch Village."

Yoh took the album and flipped through the pages.

Ren and me 

_Manta and me_

_Ren and Horo_

_Ren, Pirika, and Horo_

_Faust and manta_

_Everyone_

_Anna_

_Lyser-_

_Hold on!_

Yoh flipped back to Anna. She was wearing the orange headphones. Yoh's throat constricted. And she was smiling.

That was when Yoh realized it.

He didn't hate Anna. He didn't think of her as a friend. And he didn't think of her as a sister.

He loved her.

Yoh stood abruptly. Tamao looked at him curiously.

"Uh. I'm gunna go check on Anna and Obaa-san." Yoh ran up the stairs and crept into Anna's room.

"Obaa-san? Can I talk to Anna alone?" Yoh asked the hunched over figure.

"No."

"What?"

"No. You can't talk to Anna alone." Kino whispered softly.

"I know she's meditat-"

"She's not meditating."

"What?" Yoh was confused.

"She's…Yoh come here."

Kino beckoned him. Yoh approached the futon where Anna was supposed to be meditating. But all he saw was Anna laying down. As if she was asleep.

"Yoh, Anna's tired." Kino tried to explain. "Anna's been tired for a while now."

"Yeah I know."

He was met by a weak and tired looking Anna at the doorway. She tried her best to maintain her scowl. It was obvious to Yoh that she had just woken up.

_Anna nodded. "I'm tired. I'll eat later."_

Both looking sleepy and tired. Anna more than Yoh cause he was used to getting up and training.

All those times Yoh had disregarded it. Just like now.

"Yoh. Take Anna's hand."

Yoh obeyed and took her small hand in his. It was cold. Ice cold. Like an Ice Queen.

"Why's it so cold?"

Kino braced herself. "Yoh. Anna died at 12:31 today."

Yoh froze. "what?"

"She died, Yoh. She's been too weak lately. No one knows why."

Yoh felt like he was in a dream. No a nightmare. How could this happen.

Respectfully, Kino left, leaving Yoh with Anna.

Suddenly reality seemed to kick in.

"Anna…" Yoh began to sob. "Anna…"

This was unfair. He had finally realized how much he loved her. he finally realized it. How much he needed her. that he couldn't live without her. He loved her. But now it was too late.

He looked at her face.

She was smiling.

-

**A/N:** mind you, she's still dead, but her mouth is like smiling. well i feel tired and depressed. anyone want to make me feel better with a **review**?


End file.
